There's a chance the next federal budget will help to level the playing field for transit. Right now there are many ways in which companies can support their driving employees' reliance on the automobile -- such as free parking -- but little balance when it comes to transit.

My MP, Carolyn Bennett, is suggesting something else in her latest newsletter. Here is a reprint of a letter she received, and her response to it:

Please use your influence in caucus to get something done about integrating TTC, GO, and VIA rail. The quality of life in our city is deteriorating because of the car. As a regular user of the 32C Eglinton bus, every day I experience the sad fact that an Eglinton subway was started and then mothballed because of lack of government funding.

What are the chances that the Liberals will champion public transportation, despite having to deal with and possibly share glory with politicians at the provincial and municipal levels?

Carolyn responds:

I couldn't agree more about the transit situation. Hopefully you're going to see tax deductible transit passes in the next budget. You should know that your government is committed to a rail link to the airport.

Is she just hoping, or is there a good probability of this happening? Let's join her in hoping that this small tax reform takes place. And, let's go beyond hope and write to our MPs and the Finance Minister about this.

[Update, February 5 -- Carolyn replied to my email with this response: we passed it in the House.... so we sure hope it makes it into the budget !!! we'll keep fighting..... Carolyn]